Aphids on African Milkweed

Oleander Aphid and Parasitic Wasps

Aphis nerii

Oleander Aphids are colorful aphids that are common on Oleander and Milkweed plants. The photos above also capture the seed pod of the African Milkweed and  (if you look close) Parasitic Wasps that attack the aphids.

Oleander Aphids

Originated from the Mediterranean, these aphids now cover most of North America. Like the Monarch Butterflies that feed on milkweed, these aphids also pick up the deadly cardiac glucosides. They can secret this compound when harassed. Their bright orange color then is a warning to predators. Nasty taste, nasty side effects. DO NOT EAT. Predators that eat and survive Oleander Aphids that have low levels of cartenolides can have lasting effects. Not so glamorous as spidey powers, but spiders will spin wonky webs and ladybugs can grow deformed wings.

Aphids don’t have sex. In fact, in natural colonies there are no male aphids. The females reproduce by cloning themselves (pathenogenesis). They also give birth to live nymphs, rather than lay eggs. When a colony lands on a host their population explodes. When it gets a little crowded, some of they aphids will develop wings so that they can fly to new host plants. If you have an aphid infestation the best way to get rid of them is soapy water or certain kinds of oils. Generally if you give them a good spray down with the soapy water they won’t be back.

Parasitic Aphidiid Wasps
Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Cresson) (Hymenoptera Braconidae)

If you look at the second picture you can barely make out a few small white bugs with a narrow shape. These are parasitic aphidiid wasps lay eggs inside the aphids. When they baby wasps develop they eat the aphid from the inside out, turning it into a sort of aphid mummy. When they do mummify their bodies turn hard and brown and act as a protective case for the developing wasps. After the wasp has developed it will cut a hole in the back of the aphid mummy and crawl out.

African Milkweed
Gomphocarpus physocarpus

This plant is also know as the Bladderbush, Wild Cotton or the Swan Plant. In fact, I’m not entirely sure that the names all overlap with the same species so my identification could be slightly off – but they are in the African Milkweed family. This plant has beautiful creamy white small flowers but it does not produce the kind of cotton that we use in textile. It is normally found in Australia and in the southern regions of Africa. In many areas it is considered a weed, though it is impressive visually.

Albino American Alligator

Albino Alligator Face

Alligator mississippiensis

Hello big American Albino Alligator! There are lots of neat facts about American Alligators in general, but I’m going to save that for another ‘gator-rrific post that I have planned. The alligator above lives at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm in Florida, which I visited Valentine’s Day ‘07.

Albinism occurs naturally and randomly in nature due to gene mutation. However, since most animals (alligators included) rely heavily on blending in to their natural environment, most animals that are albino live very short lives in the wild. Albino American Alligators were first stumbled on in 1992 by Jerry Savoie who runs an alligator farm in Louisiana. (You may have seen the farm and Jerry in an episode of Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe on the Discovery Channel – which, by the way, is a fantastic show!)

Since his discovery Savoie has continued to successfully breed over 20 additional albino alligators for exhibitions.

While American Alligators were once considered endangered and many doubted their recovery – their numbers are strong now. Of the over 5 million known American Alligators there are less than 50 true albinos known according to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm.